Among the
fascinating creatures of the deep is a finger-size shrimp with an
oversize claw — resembling a boxing glove — that it uses to stun its
prey by snapping the claw shut. The snapping claw produces a sharp
cracking sound as seawater is accelerated to velocities causing
inertial cavitation, (a process where a void or bubble in a liquid
rapidly collapses), producing a shock wave. Such cavitation often
occurs in pumps, piping, propellers, impellers, and in the vascular
tissues of plants. (And as seen in the video, by the pistol shrimp
claw).

Inertial cavitation takes place when a vacuum "bubble" is created,
subsequently setting in motion Nature's forces to fill the created
vacuum.

claw creates a pressure zone by causing a
seawater "jetting" action which accelerates a quantity of
seawater to a velocity high enough to cause inertial
cavitation (speeds up to 62 miles/hour (100 km/hr));

2.

molecules of seawater rush into the vacuum
"bubble" behind the pressure wave at speeds greater than the
speed of sound, causing an audible sonic BOOM;

3.

as seawater particles exceed the speed of
sound, compression takes place in the "bubble" space;

4.

compression of the seawater causes an
instantaneous release of atomic energy in which temperatures
above 8,000 degrees Fahrenheit and enormous pressure is
generated, creating a visible plasma arc, which in turn,
causes another compression.

When colonies of
the shrimp snap their claws, the cacophony is so intense that
submarines can take advantage of it to hide from sonar.

A team of European scientists revealed that the bubble emits not
only sound but a flash of light — indicating the extreme temperature
and pressure created inside the bubbles.